How Lolita Fashion Makes Me a Better Big Sister

I have 5 younger siblings, I come from a split family so one of them is 19 and we share a mother, but the other 4 are all under 11 years old. I feel as if Lolita Fashion makes me more able to connect with them and I think that’s special. I wonder if anyone else in the community has much younger siblings and feel better able to connect. I still love to sing and read fairytales so whenever someone wants their sister to read them the entirety of Hans Christian Anderson’s Snow Queen over the course of a few nights I’m the one there. Today we had a Princess Day as I have been loosely trying the lolita lifestyle challenge.

Cute sandwich I made for Princess Day. My sisters had Dolphins with a heart

It was so much fun! We played cards, sang songs and dressed up. My 5 year old little sister has been excited about this day since it had been planned about a month ago. Last night she excitedly exclaimed to my parents that today would be Princess Day and picked out a poofy pink dress to match mine. I am so grateful in these moments and especially in this current situation to have something that brings so much light into my life that I can also share with my siblings. My 10 year old sister was curious about the fashions itself and I got to show her what Decora and Fairy Kei are. She absolutely loved looking at both and it brought me joy that I could share something with her. Comfier clothes are more her scene and she thought Decora looked especially neat.

This aesthetic encourages me to bring a lot more adventure into my life and since I still live at home for the time being it means I get to bring more adventure into their lives as well. I appreciate having siblings that are so much younger than me. It gives me excuses to play faeries and superheroes and this brings me so much joy. We live in a rather rural area which means we can go outside and have no contact with other people which I am also extremely grateful for. We had a tea party by the brook a mile away from my house with orange cookies I made. It was absolutely delightful

In what ways has being in the Lolita Fashion community unexpectedly made your life better?

What is a Lolita?

There’s an exceedingly simply answer to this question. It’s an individual who wears lolita fashion, but to those of us who hold our frills deep inside our hearts and consider ourselves to be lifestyle lolitas this question may be a lot more complex and hold different answers for each of us. I know it does for me. Ever since I was little I dreamed of being a lost princess and of fairytales. I romanticized everything and in the poetry I wrote people were transformed into royalty, flowers and gemstones. Everything was fantasy and fantastical to me long before I ever discovered what Lolita Fashion was. Sadly, no people from a tiny forgotten country came to inform me that I was in fact a princess. So when I saw Lolita Fashion in it’s most derivative form searching for a prom dress my junior year of high school. Something clicked. I ended down a rabbit hole of blogs and youtube channels with Parfaitdoll and FYeahLolita showing me the way. These resources aren’t nearly as active now as they were then but I still hold both of these blogs close to my heart. I watched Deerstalker Pictures and Pixielocks when she was still a Lolita herself. I still love watching PrincessPeachie even though she has largely traded her frills for the more comfortable fairy kei. This was a world that I immersed myself in and learned so much about and fell in love with.

The clothes themselves were beautiful and sparked joy in my heart but what was even more important to me then what the clothes looked like was what they meant. It was a way to assert my independence in a way that felt comfortable. I felt like myself when I wore them. It said to the world that I am feminine and I am strong and I control the image I have for myself. The frills spoke of the strength of the heroines in my fairytales and that that strength is inside of me as well. It showed me that I have the ability to achieve my goals in a way that makes sense for my life and in a way that isn’t defined by the others who are around me. At 22 years old, I still want to be a Princess as defined by virtue not birthright. I want to be kind, organized, responsible, and beautiful. There are so many beautiful bright princesses in the Lolita community that I adore and look up to. There are girls in my own comm that I admire with all my heart and the sense of community I have been blessed with in this fashion is incredible. I have so many wonderful women that I can turn to in a time of crisis or visit their animal crossing islands. It’s a group of individuals outside of my day to day interactions and that kind of connection has been truly precious to me.

There is also a magical and mundane aspect to me as well. Due to being in this community I have learned so many life skills I wouldn’t have learned without it. I learned more about sewing, cooking and baking. Things that should be basic life skills but don’t seem to come up very often. I learned more about music, poetry, other languages, how to budget, and how to write about my own experiences all because of this wonderful aesthetic that I am so delighted that I get to live in.

I think as time goes on what a Lolita is to me changes but at its core it remains similar. To be a Lolita is to be a modern day princess with all of the strength and courage that that implies. It’s to be able to stand on your own two feet and do what you love. Its being kind to others and taking care of your life while not sacrificing what makes you happy. It’s something that I truly love that in this lifetime I get to be.

April Style Advice

I used to really love Parfaitdoll’s posts and I absolutely got the the idea from her style tips, I loved how they were often more than just tips on fashion but a more deep way often to celebrate the season.

~ On a warm sunny day open the windows and let some fresh air blow through your house taking negative energy with it

~ Clean out a space and decorate it to be as cute/lovely as possible, really make it a space you can enjoy

~ Create a wardrobe table and figure out what basics you’re missing and what ones you can stop buying on repeat

~ Bust out all the pastels and florals you can. Extra points for butterflies

~ Make yourself a cute recipe with berries in it

~ Find the jewelry you loved when you were young, try wearing it again

Shrinky Dink Lolita Fashion Accessories!

I was browsing through the egl memories section when I saw someone talking about making a shrinky dink bangle to match an Angelic Pretty JSK and I decided to try my hand at making a necklace pendant to match my Bodyline Bunny Cinderella skirt

I spent a good 2 hours trying to replicate this bunny!

The original bunny herself! Upon closer inspection I was surprised her lineart is brown! It did make drawing the Shrinky Dink a lot easier

The result! I’m quite happy with how it turned out! I encourage you all to give it a try!

100 Questions for Lolitas

I got this idea from reading Ravensnow’s post who got the idea from Nefferinthia got the questions from  Naomi’s How to Become an Angel GeoCities site now that all credit has been given to each question let’s get into it!

Photo by Octoptimist on Pexels.com

 

1 Please tell us your name, birthday, and where you’re from.

I’m from the mountains, my birthday is February 19th and on the internet I go by Liliana Rowena

2 What is your height, weight, clothes size and shoe size?

My height is 5’4″, I weight 177.1 but am working on getting to a healthy BMI so I can start pointe. I wear anywhere between a 12-16 depending on the brand but all men’s mediums fit me. My shoe size is 7

3 Why did you start wearing Lolita Fashion?

I was looking for a prom dress my junior year of high school and happened upon a simple black a line OP from Mary Magdalene and instantly fell in love. My heart fell at the sizing and the price but over time I found FanPlusFriend and bought the Doctor Who skirt as I loved the show at the time. I saw it and immediately thought that that was something that could be all my own. I come from a split family and my parents were very young so they pushed a lot of their ideals and trauma on me. One family made fun of anything remotely feminine and the other pushed some rather age inappropriate sense of style, but Lolita Fashion was something all of my own. It still is today

4 What’s your favourite genre (style) of Lolita?

That’s so hard! I’m kind of currently in a mini identity crisis so it’s all pretty fluid but I have a weak spot for old school and bittersweet. Classic is quickly growing on me

5 Express in your own words, the ideal of your above answer.

Basically anything that makes my heart jump for joy honestly if I see it and gasp that’s what I look for in a garment

6 Do you have any piercings, and if so how many?

I have only my ears pierced but am honestly considering a belly button piercing in the future.

7 What is your favourite brand?

That’s also really hard! My taste in music is really fluid but if I had to pick a music group I’m really into currently I’d have to say Iris the J-pop group, but if I’m in a different mood I am also a big fan of Panic! at the Disco

8 What is your favourite piece of clothing?

My favorite is still the very first skirt I bought! Fanplusfriend’s Timelord Cyber Gothic Skirt

9 How many Lolita friends do you have?

I have around 10! I’ve been blessed with a lovely small and very accepting comm although we’ve had a boom in new members recently! Just this morning we had a virtual tea party

10 What is the best thing about being a Lolita?

I get to live out all the princessy dreams I missed as a kid and it always gives me this ideal to strive for

11 On the contrary, what is the worst?

It’s really expensive! I wish I could just magic myself the perfect wardrobe

12 What magazine(s) do you read?

Cosmopolitan is one of my guilty pleasures honestly

13 Headdresses vs Bonnets vs Ribbons (Headbands)?

I just ordered on of the lacy rectangle headdresses in pink and it is one of my new favorite things! But big headbows are also wonderful. I have never really tried a bonnet and I can only imagine the flood of Bo peep comments.

14 Do you wear bloomers?

Only occasionally, I want to wear them more but the only pair I have no digs in so much it hurts to wear. I need to make some that fit

15 Do you tie your headress in the front or the back?

I tie it in the back depending on the hairstyle in the front but I largely prefer the back

16 Do you have a favourite music genre or band?

I love pure pop music! Upbeat and fast although I do really like dark lyrics accompanying it too, so anything I can dance to

17 What is your phone ringtone?

I have the Tardis sound as my text alert but it’s usually on silent

18 Do you go to lives/concerts in Lolita?

I don’t really go to concerts so no

19 For those that go to lives/concerts, do you headbang?

Nope!

20 What colours do you like?

So many! My favorite is definitely a light pink! I really like purple, light blue, red, black and white but the color family of beiges is growing on me and is the inspiration of redoing my room

21 What are your hobbies?

I have so many I think I may be trying to collect them all. I draw, sew, dance, sing, photograph, write and have instagram and youtube. I also enjoy cooking and baking

22 What is your favourite perfume?

I don’t usually buy perfumes but I really want Bath and Bodyworks Strawberry poundcake lotion because it smells amazing!

23 Being a Lolita, is there anything you are careful of?

No not really. Although I aspire to be the image of a collected maiden I’m really naturally a chaotic person

24 Where do you usually hang out?

Anywhere my friends are! I don’t get to go very often but I much enjoy solo trips to local cafes as well

25 How many times do you wear lolita a week?

When my depression isn’t acting up about 2-3 times a week at least sometimes every day!

26 Please tell us an embarrassing story you are guilty of from your early days of wearing lolita.

I killed 3 petticoats in a row and took forever in order for me to figure out that my dryer was killing them. I am still learning how to properly care for clothing

27 What is your hairstyle and hair colour now?

I have shoulder length straight brown hair with pink ends

28 How long is your lolita history?

I was 16 at my very first purchase so including all of it about 6 years! Wow! I never realized that it feels a lot like I’m still learning

29 Do you have a dedicated place for storing lolita?

Nope, I was living at college and currently still live with my parents for the time being so it’s just part of my regular wardrobe

30 Up to now have you ever thought about quitting lolita?

Never

31 What is your motto?

I aspire to be a princess in my heart

32 What is your future dream?

I want a cute apartment with my fiance and to be able to afford all we need

33 Is there any celebrity you think “This person definitely suits Lolita!”?

Kyaru Pamyu Pamyu

34 Please tell us about an item that is full of memories.

I have a dress from FanPlusFriend my fiance bought for me all on his own he had to ask what my size was but it’s very precious to me

35 What is the very first item you got?

Time Lord Cyber Gothic Skirt from Fanplusfriend

36 When having your photo taken, do you have a pose you always do?

I’m a peace sign with a tendu to the back or side kind of gal ^^’

37 What is your bible? (Book, Magazine, CD etc)

Hm, I’m not sure I understand this question

38 What is the height of the tallest shoes you wear?

4 inch heels, I had 6 inch stilettos for senior prom and they were cute as hell but too painful at the time. I’d be willing to try them again.

39 Have you ever worn a tiara?

Yes!!!! I love them and want to have one again

40 Occasionally do you want to try Ouji?

Yes! I kind of want to explore that more tomboy side again it’s been awhile since I’ve indulged that side of myself

41 What kind of lace do you like?

Any lace with a cute motif in it make so happy!

42 Do you have dolls? If you do please tell us about her!

Yes! I have two porcelain dolls I don’t remember where they came from but I love them

43 What’s inside your Lolita bag?

My wallet and keys

44 What’s your favourite flower?

It’s cliche but roses

45 What is your favourite accessory right now?

Ribbons!

46 What is your favourite or recommended cosmetics?

I love anything Too Faced

47 Big and beautiful eyes are the proof of a doll! So, do you wear false eyelashes? Also if you have any tips for application please tell us.

I love them but I want to wear them more often. I’m terrible at applying them

48 Please tell us your eye make up fixation.

Eye enlarging makeup of any kind and vintage cut creases

49 Is your lipstick red? Blue? Black? Pink?

Berry nudes are the most flattering on me

50 What colour do you use often for your manicures?

Glitter nails!

51 Have you ever stealthily changed into your clothes in a train (or public) toilet?

Yes! I work a part time job when things are normal and I love going to meetups so I’ve gone to a few right after work

52 Have you ever done a twinning coord? A triplet coord? What are your thoughts?

No but I desperately want to! I don’t really have a robust wardrobe and a kind of unique taste in dresses I think so finding someone to twin with is kind of hard.

53 What do you do to keep your figure? Any recommendations?

Working on that! I’d say I’m currently doing a lot of ballet and calorie counting but don’t go nuts and don’t hurt your mental health.

54 Wearing lolita alone. Are you okay with it?

Absolutely! When I’m not at college I’m the only lolita in town

55 How much do you spend a month on clothes and accessories?

I think I average about 50$ a month when I’m being reasonable. I fear I emotional spend on lolita a lot so it can get a bit out of hand

56 Was there a considerable time difference between when you found out about Lolita and when you started wearing it?

No, as soon as I saw it I started researching brands I could wear

57 What is the most expensive thing you’ve bought up to now?

One of my dream dresses! Secret Hospital for the Dolls in purple it was 200$

58 Lolita is really expensive. How to get money for it?

I honestly need to start doing this but I think the idea of a sinking fund is really helpful. Now I also do online surveys to add to it but it’s not much.

59 Just between the two of us, generally how much have you spent on Lolita altogether up until now?

I don’t want to think about it ^^’

60 What shop do you want close to you?

A brick and mortar Fanplusfriend store!

61 Just between the two of us, are there are any shops you think are a total ripoff?

Not really

62 Do you use online shops? If you have what are the good and bad points about it? If you haven’t, please tell us why.

Mainly lacemarket, but I have had great experiences using Fanplusfriend

63 Is there a secret person/shop that you have ordered a dress solely for you from?

Nope

64 I definitely won’t get it! But I really really want it! Do you have a certain something from a certain brand that you want?

I really love Cat’s Tea Party but it’s a crazy expensive even secondhand

65 What do you do with pieces you get bored of?

Try new styling combinations!

66 What is the last thing you bought (even outside of Lolita)?

Some deodorant! XD

67 Is there something you’ll probably never have it again, but you can’t forget about?

No

68 What do you think of people that wear lolita only to lives/concerts?

It’s their clothes!

69 What do you think of people that don’t wear makeup with lolita fashion?

I think makeup can really complete a look but casually no makeup can work

70 There’s a Lolita wearing the same coord as you! What do you think?

New friend!

71 From what age until what age do you think is forgivable to wear Lolita?

Until I die

72 In what situation do you think you would have to stop wearing Lolita?

If all my clothes burned in a fire but I’d still replace them

73 Do you have any “Stop doing this!” warnings?

Stop throwing your clothes around! Take proper care of them, I’ve definitely paid for some carelessness.

74 Do you have any thoughts about what a Lolita should be like?

Whoever they want to be! I think everyone should be good people no matter what but I think a lolita isn’t a specific stereotype

75 Excluding Q.73, is there anything you don’t want a Lolita to do?

I think shaming other people anonymously isn’t cute

76 What do you think of boys wearing Lolita?

More power to them! The more the merrier

77 Since wearing Lolita has anything about changed from before?

I’ve gotten a lot more organized and conscientious in all aspects of my life

78 What do the people around you say about you wearing Lolita?

They don’t understand but they like that it makes me happy

79 In the midsummer heat what kind of Lolita do you wear?

Honestly the same as I usually do but I bought a crinoline cage recently and think I’ll do that

80 Do you wear Lolita to school/your workplace?

Not to my food service job but definitely to school

81 What are your regular style of clothes?

I am an anime character

82 Are you opposed to second hand clothing?

I love thrifting!

83 Do you have a partner? And do they understand Lolita?

I do! My fiance actually wants to try ouji!

84 Please tell us the image of your ideal guy

The one I have! Absolutely adorable, passionate, a good listener, and my best friend

85 Is there a Lolita that has left a big impression on you?

Victoria Suzanne! She was my major inspiration to begin with

86 Have you ever made your own clothes? If so what kind?

Yes! I’ve made a skirt and a dress

87 Have you ever made your own accessories? If so what?

I’ve made one matching headbow

88 Is there an item you’ve made that you think “It’s a great success!”?

Not a lolita item

89 If you have an ideal coord, please talk about it.

I really want an ethereal goddess like coord with my Haenuli OP or a Swan Lake themed one with one of my dream dresses

90 Is there someone you admire? What kind of person are they?

Yes! A girl in my comm is the most organized together person I know, her wardrobe has a coherent color palette and she has her finances all in order

91 For one day you can go on a date with that special person. They will also be wearing their favourite clothes. So who is it, what are you wearing and where is the date?

It’s with my fiance, he’s in something with pusheen on it, I’m in my Haenuli Phantom of the Opera OP and we’re at American Flatbread

92 If you could open a shop in the future, what kind would it be?

I eventually want to sell art prints or have a size inclusive lolita shop, I think the art prints are in closer reach

93 Unconsciously, this catches your eye! Which motif is it?

Butterflies!

94 Would you also want your child(ren) to wear Lolita?

YES! That would be so cute!

95 How much do you spend on each piece of clothing?

Anywhere between 10$ to hundreds

96 This is a Lolita! If you think there’s a gesture like that please tell us.

Heart hands and peace signs!

97 Even if it’s only one time I wanna wear it! Is there something you want to wear other than Lolita?

Cyber goth! Just to give it a try

98 Looking at your Lolita, if you could use one word to represent it, what would it be?

Eclectic

99 What is your image of an ideal Lolita?

A kind, competent princess in charge of her own life and destiny

100 大変お疲れ様でした! Please share your thoughts on taking this questionnaire.

This was incredibly fun and I got to know myself a lot better while taking this!

Thank you guys so much for this idea I had such a blast doing it!

Lifestyle Lolita Tip: How to Polish Silver

Silver is a very elegant accessory and if you like lolita fashion there is a high chance that you like other fine things that exist in life. I personally has received a lot of silver as gifts in my life long before I was a lolita. Looking back it’s not at all a surprise that I am doing my best to be a lifestyle lolita now. I’m currently updating my childhood room as I am stuck at my house instead of college due to current events and since I’ll be here for at least another six months before I move out. I’m working on lolifying my room. But first my room needs to be clean and organized. I took some time to polish 3 silver gifts I received in the past. Here’s the before photos of the gift box I received from my late Nana

This is about mid way through the process

So I used a recipe for diy silver polish from good housekeeping that’s 1/2 baking powder and 1/2 water to create a paste then I used a toothbrush I sacrificed to cleaning to take care of the silver. As a warning this takes a lot of patience if you don’t regularly polish your silver.

Here’s the finished result!

I’m really proud of my silver and it brightens my day when I see it!

March Madness and Frilly Ways to get through it

Well, hello everyone! It’s been awhile. It’s actually a lot longer than I thought since I wrote a post on here. Well I have a lot more time now to work on this being home and since I looked up to so many blogs when I first got into Lolita fashion I don’t want this to become an abandoned project. There’s a lot going on in the world right now and for those of us who have been very active in our comms and lives now is a hard time. I have been doing somethings to get through it. Here’s some things I have been doing

I have been working on learning new hairstyles and pin curl sets. I personally think pin curls go really well with lolita fashion but that may just be me

A pin curl set I tried out last night!

The results!

My first attempt at a hair flower, I don’t know why my hair was so frizzy that day
Much more successful hair flowers on my sister’s head

I have had a lot of fun also watching other peoples content and practicing Ballet. I’m really thankful my studio went online. If you have a local studio they may be offering classes at a discount on Zoom! I recommend it especially if you feel like you’re starting to go stir crazy.

I also highly recommend pulling out your fancy teacups and having mini tea parties. I did one yesterday. One girl in my comm is doing it about everyday! Also almost my entire comm has been playing animal crossing it’s been fun getting to visit everyone’s islands

my animal crossing house!

I’m also getting a chance to get back on top of my social medias and do things like update this blog!

I hope to do some more things like do my nails, have a virtual tea party with my comm and try to responsibly pad out my wardrobe on lacemarket. I am fortunate to still have an income coming in

Thank you all for reading! See you guys next Monday!

A Love Letter to Tea

Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com

Tea is a very special drink to me. For me it represents comfort and a safe place. It has for a long time and admittedly I have a pretty intense emotional connection to tea starting with chamomile tea parties with feather boas at my grandma’s house underneath a light up painting of a unicorn. (If my parents had heard of Lolita it would not at all be a surprise I dress the way I do to them) This year whenever things got hard, one of my roommates would always offer me tea. I appreciated it and it honestly has helped me develop one of my healthier coping mechanisms that I have been using. Tea, I feel, has a special place in many Lolitas hearts. It is one of the most elegant of drinks and it connects people all over the world. There are ceremonies for tea in both the east and the west, Tea can be as formal as an Afternoon Tea or full Tea Ceremony or just you and a good book. I also find that tea helps me ground myself. It’s a healthier alternative to many other options of drink. There are also endless flavors of tea, with almost anything you can imagine also being a tea flavor.

Tea has connected me not just to my lolita friends but to my roommates as well, for the years we have lived together it has been common for us to have a well stocked tea cupboard and an electric kettle, well, until we finally wore it out from all of the tea we drank! I also love the aesthetics of tea and how it’s such a gentle thing, it reminds me of kindness, caring and warmth. In short, I love tea.

5 Tips for Busty Lolitas

I have a 34H cup chest currently so it makes it pretty difficult to find dresses and blouses in my size and have them flatter me. So if you are also in this boat, here’s some advice!

I am a bit like Alice, I give myself very good advice but I very seldom follow it. So if there is a dress you love, and you like how it looks, rock it! This is just what I find works best when I feel like putting in the extra effort.

1.) Bodices are your friend

I find the extra space allowed by the more 3 dimensional nature of the bodice block has created my most flattering and comfortable dresses. Empire waists often cut my bust off at the bottom and creates a bit of a bizzare effect.

2.) A-Line silhouettes are the most flattering

This is an old standby that I found when searching for tips for busty lolitas when I was first starting out and it is definitely true if you’re trying to do as little compensating elsewhere. However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to only half of the silhouette! There are ways to be the frilly cupcake of your dreams

3.) For Bell Shaped silhouettes drop waists and thick waist bands are your friend

This is what I have found helps, having that break between the poof and your bust creates a better silhouette and helps accentuate your waist more. I’m a strong believer that you can wear whatever shapes or colors you want, you may just need to modify it if you desire to fit into the mainstream aesthetic.

4.) Buy clothes that will fit your measurements (Actually fits, not just fits by the grace of those above)

This is the part where I say I very seldom follow my own advice. This one is probably the hardest because it may limit your wardrobe and what you can buy realistically. However, you will feel so much better in clothes that fit and not having breathing make a button go flying. (I have actually had this experience)

5.) High Neck Blouses are pretty great

I struggle to have my normal necked ops not turn into accidental ero lolita coords due to the copious amounts of cleavage that will occur whether I want it to or not. Blouses that can button all the way to the neck and can be layered even under OPs will help extend your wardrobe greatly.

7 Unique Lolita Meetup Venues

Photo by Mikechie Esparagoza on Pexels.com

1.) An arcade

An issue my comm often has is having everyone be able to afford the meetups we go to and an arcade is an awesome way to solve this. If someone wants to spend 5$ or 20$ or none at all, it doesn’t matter, and you can get some unique pics in places with neon lights!

2.) Bar/Club

This only applies to the 21+ crowd, but still could be fun in some of your more inexpensive pieces of your wardrobe and could be a fun experience

3.) Escape Room Meetup

Join the recent escape room craze and have a group try to escape. For added fun theme your coords around the room.

4.) Go to a Sporting Event!

Hockey, Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Figure Skating, whatever! Go and give it a try you may discover a new thing you like! The energy at games are fun, and watching it can be exciting. It also may be easier for members of your comm where walking can limit their ability to attend

5.) Go to a Comedy Show!

They do say that laughter is the best medicine! Just make sure the performer you’re seeing is appropriate for everyone in your party

6.) Volunteer Somewhere!

Make sure that you’re volunteering in a place where your outfits would be appropriate and wouldn’t get ruined. Like volunteering in a group at a soup kitchen, or at a senior center, where your comm in a group might brighten a few people’s days and make a difference

7.) Go to a Concert!

Pick an artist and enjoy the show! Their could be lots of local bands playing or you can make it a grand affair!